La Madrugá

This new album from Yasser Tejeda comprises a slick and very enjoyable collection of nine tracks merging two distinct traits of Dominican pop. On the one hand we have the rough breakneck, and redneck, roots merengue and bachata of great older artists like Joseíto Mateo and Wilfrido Vargas, all cascading sax, accordion jaleos and rumbling tambora drums. On the other we have the softer, more lyrical style of Juan Luis Guerra, representing tradition's encounter with jazz harmonies and MOR rock aesthetics. With his mild voice, New York-based Tejeda's music at first sounds as though its focus is towards the second tendency, but on tracks like the single ‘Tu Ere Bonita’, his crystalline falsetto guitar and the percussion ramp up the rhythm, while the versatile Sandy Gabriel's saxophone becomes less smooth jazz, tooting out some delicious merengue arpeggios. There's an understated but expert Afro-element to be found on La Madrugá, from the irresistible soukous of ‘Todo Va a Marchar’ to the revived use on ‘Amor Congo (feat Bebo Dumont)’ of a Congo of Villa Mella drum and choir troupe so brilliantly featured years ago by merenguero Kinito Mendez. All in all, to spare coining a new phrase, what's not to like?